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Garcia listed in serious condition after accident

Megan Doyle | Friday, August 26, 2011

A Notre Dame senior who fell from the third-floor window of his apartment at Eddy Street Commons early Thursday morning is listed in serious condition at Memorial Hospital, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

The student, 21-year-old Marcus Garcia, was listed in critical condition throughout Thursday before his condition was updated to “serious” Thursday evening, said Maggie Scroope, manager of media relations for the hospital.

Scroope said she could not legally comment on the nature of Garcia’s injuries, but University President Fr. John Jenkins said Garcia did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

“University officials were made aware of the accident involving Marcus early this morning and have been with him and in communication with his parents ever since,” Jenkins said Thursday. “We thank God that his injuries are not life threatening and pray for his full recovery.”

Capt. Phil Trent of the South Bend Police said the exact cause of Garcia’s fall is unclear.

“We know when he fell and we know where he fell, but what we don’t know is why he fell,” Trent said. “As of right now, it stands as an accident. If he gets better like they say he is going to, maybe he can shed some light on [what happened.]”

Trent said an employee at a local bar saw Garcia’s legs hanging out his apartment window above the south end of the Hammes Bookstore’s Eddy Street location as she left work around 4:30 a.m. He fell about 25 feet onto the sidewalk below the window. She then called 911.

Garcia was in and out of consciousness while medics treated him at the scene for a severe head injury. His roommates were asleep at the time and did not know what caused him to fall from the window, Trent said.

Garcia is a psychology and sociology major from Turlock, Calif., according to the Notre Dame sociology department website.